President Carter publicly added himself yesterday to those concerned over the tone of the health care debate, asserting that much of the animosity directed at President Obama is based in racism.
He told NBC News, “I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he’s African-American.”
“I live in the South, and I’ve seen the South come a long way,” he went on to say. “That racism inclination still exists and I think it’s bubbled up to the surface because of belief among many white people, not just in the South but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It’s an abominable circumstance and grieves me and concerns me very deeply.”
The former president also said that he believes Obama will be able to “triumph over the racist attitude.”
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